Russian yard floats out two new compact seiners

Russian shipyard Torsiotest recently launched two new vessels in a new series of compact seine netting vessels ordered by the V.I. Lenin Fishing Collective Farm based in Russia's Far East.

Like earlier sisters Sokoch and Apaha, Karaga and Karymai were built to a design by local engineering firm Forss Technology in compliance with Russian Maritime Register Shipping requirements. The Project 04130 series of seiners are designed to catch fish in raw form with processing only to be done subsequently at onshore factories.

Because there is no need for onboard processing facilities, the vessels can be built to be as small as possible and with shallow draughts to permit access to a wider range of deep-sea and near-shore areas.

The design ensures safe operation in temperatures of 20 degrees Celsius at 60 per cent humidity during the summer and –20 degrees Celsius at 85 per cent humidity during the winter. Navigation is possible in fine-broken rarefied ice up to 0.5-metre thick in non-Arctic seas.

Karaga and Karymai will be delivered by the end of 2024, after which they will be deployed in the Sea of Okhotsk and other far east waters to catch various species such as cod. The construction of the entire series is in fulfilment of an investment quota initiative launched by the Russian government.